Adaptation of retinal dopamine neuron activity in light-adapted rats to darkness.
The activity of the retinal dopamine neurons was studied in light-adapted rats exposed to darkness for periods ranging from 10 min to 15 h. Dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) accumulation, following inhibition of L-aromatic amino acid decarboxylase with NSD-1015, was used as an index of dopamine neuronal activity. After only 10 min of darkness, DOPA accumulation had decreased to levels found in rats dark-adapted for 15 h.
D000064:Acclimatization; D000818:Animals; D003624:Darkness; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012160:Retina / Q000502:physiology*
D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine; D004298:Dopamine